Conduit cleaner



E. A. LYNCH CONDUIT CLEANER Oct. 18, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 4, 1950 ATTORNEY E. A. LYNCH CONDUIT CLEANER Oct. 18, 1955 5 Sheecs-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1950 Rm mm, 2 V 2 M a 7M 2 d n @d mA. 6 \L la f 4 W 2 lud la i w. nl# E Lf l 'l |||r llllrm. ||||||||||I| H u 9 0 7 m w n gfg n fly y@ ZZ m- 5 M 2 .d mw

A TToRNEY Oct. 18, 1955 E, A. LYNCH 2,720,925

CONDUIT CLEANER Filed May 4, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. /L-Jg., E rdn/arc( A ync/7 BY E :o

A' TTRNE'Y E. A. LYNCH CONDUIT CLEANER Oct. 18, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 4. 1950 INVENTOR. Edu/afd ,4. Lyne/7 BY a Q TTRNEY E. A. LYNCH CONDUIT CLEANER Oct. 18, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 4. 1950 d. Z f

.1N Y 0 W n 11A. A M@ d W fc United States Patent() coNoUlT CLEANER Edward A. Lynch, Duncan, Okla., assigner of one-fourth to Don F. Pierce, Wichita Falls, Tex.

Application May 4, 1950, Serial No. 159,973

7 Claims. (Cl. 166-176) This invention has to do with conduit cleaners. It presents apparatus for cleaning well pipe and keeping such pipe clean. lt is particularly useful in the cleaning of oil well tubing, casing and other well pipe and also in the cleaning or" pipe lines and other conduits.

While this apparatus may be very appropriately employed to periodically clean out conduits, it is primarily a device for keeping conduits clean and eliminating the necessity of periodic cleaning.

This invention may be used in wells in which there are operated sucker rods or pump rods or other reciprocating members of such general character, including cables; and it may be continually operated without any increase in cost for labor or power whatsoever. Its use does not require the shutting down of a well, or the pulling of the rods or the removal of the tubing or of any other pipes.

Its use does not involve the loss of any operating time in the production of the well.

This invention cleans conduits of all manner Vof accumulations, including well solids, parafn, asphaltum, mud and cement, whether the last named be in unset slurry form or as a cement sheath clinging on the walls of the pipe. It also cleans sucker rods of all such accumulations, and it keeps them clean. The device is a travelling cleaner; and it passes freely over all rod joints. It also cleans cables by travelling therealong; and it passes over clamps and connections on such cables. It also removes burs and rough spots and abrasive surfaces in tubing and/or casing.

The device aligns and centers sucker rods, minimizes their frictional wear against the walls of the pipe, and prevents the corresponding frctional wear on the pipe itself.

This apparatus is adjustable to any desired length of travel within a conduit, however extended; and it is automatically self-reversing in its travel, and may be made to go back and forth automatically.

' This invention may be provided with self-attaching friction means by which it may be held to the walls of conduit until moved therein to aV new location by the reciproc-:ation of pump rods; and the tool cannot fall into the well.

This invention consists essentially of an elongated tubular shell which may be made to fit snugly within the conduit to be cleaned. A pair of opposed and hinged engaging members are carried within the shell and supported thereby so that they normally extend inwardly thereof. These members engage the opposite faces of a reciprocating rod or cable in such manner that the shell itself is caused to move along within the conduit in response to the reciprocating movement of the rod or cable so engaged.

At the end of the stroke of the moving rod, the shell is caused to remain briey stationary within the conduit. This may be accomplished by its snug fit therein. Preferably it is done through the use of spring-urged friction guides which are arranged to extend very slightly beyond the outer face of the shell and frictionally engage the inner face of the conduit so as to hold the shell in a position of rest for a brief space of time. From such position it is further moved along the conduit by the next succeeding movement of the rod in the direction fixed by the engaging members which are set to cause the propulsion of the shell by stages until the desired travel distance has been covered.

As the shell moves along the conduit it cleans and scrapes the walls thereof, and keeps them clean. The cutting edges on the extreme ends of the shell may be sharpened and hardened so that continued use will keep them sharp.

At any desired location within the conduit and along the rod or cable may be located means for stopping the progress of the shell in one direction and causing it to reverse itself and travel in the other direction.

The progress of this cleaning tool along a conduit is predetermined in direction by the set of the engagers; and the length of travel is predetermined by the location of reversing stops, upon contacting which the tool is automatically reversed in its travel direction. It always moves by stages or steps, a short movement being succeeded by a brief period of rest, which is in turn followed by a short movement and a brief rest; and this operation is repeated endlessly. Thus the tool moves as long as the well is being pumped or as long as a cable or rod is being reciprocated therein.

It is considered that the primary objects of the invention may be easily understood from the foregoing general statement. However, other and further objects will become apparent as this specification is developed. They will become more clear upon an examination of the accompanying drawings. These drawings set forth preferred embodiments of the tool and of its parts, together with some satisfactorily operating modications thereof. However, the principle and objects of this invention may be practiced in still other forms than those disclosed without departing from the spirit of this invention.

The drawings are described as follows:

Fig. I is an elevational view of a typical cleaning tool employed in removing Well solids from the walls of tubing surrounded by well casing.

Fig. Il is a partially sectionalized elevation of a typical cleaning tool, showing engaging means so set as to cause the tool to progress upwardly.

Fig. III is a plan view of a typical tool seen from above, and in which the uppermost engaging means are in substantially horizontal position for engagement.

Fig. IV is a plan view of a typical travel limit ring surrounding a sucker rod, taken along line IV-IV of Fig. V.

Fig. V is a partially sectionalized elevation of the end of a sucker rod and rod joints showing the mounting there between of rotatable travel limit ring and bushing.

Fig. VI is a perspective view of the lower part of a typical cleaning tool, with certain members partially cut away.

Fig. VII is a partially sectionalized elevation of a typical tool having engaging means so disposed as to cause the tool to progress downwardly. Such position is the reverse of that shown in Fig. II.

Fig. VIII is a perspective view of a typical slideable reversing sleeve.

Fig. IX is a plan view taken along the line IX-IX of Fig. II.

Fig. X is a Fig. II.

Fig. XI is an elevational view of a modified form of the tool, moving in a large conduit along a weighted cable.

Fig. XII is a perspective view of a typical rotatable ring surrounding a reversing sleeve, the latter having some of its parts cut away.

plan view taken along the line X-X of Y gated tubular body or shell 20a.

. tool 20 travels.

Fig. XIII is an exploded perspective view of typical engaging means.

Fig. XIV is a plan view yof a modified form of engaging means, surrounded by a modified form of center housing, and employing a modied form of sliding sleeve.

Fig. XV is an elevational view taken along the line XV-XV of Fig. XIV.

Fig. XVI is a perspective view of the modified engaging members shown in Fig. XIV and Fig. XV.

Fig. XVII is a sectionalized elevation of a typical fluid orifice body and adjacent mechanism.

Fig. XVIII is an assembly in perspective showing preferred forms of center housing, rotatable ring, engaging means, and reversing sleeve, some parts of the assembled members being cut away.

In the drawings various parts of the apparatus have been indicated by numerals, and like numerals are used to indicate like parts.

The numeral indicates typical well casing or other pipe; and the numeral 11 indicates typical well tubing or other pipe to be cleaned or maintained in a clean condi tion.

Solids deposited on the walls of well pipe and other conduits include the solids of congealed paraffin, asphaltum, well mud'and cement sheaths; and all of such deposits are indicated by the numeral 12.

The complete assembly of the preferred form of the tool is shown as at 20.Y It has the appearance of an elon- This elongated shell may be made up of a single tubular structure, if desired. Or for convenience in manufacture and assembly, the shell may be made in sections or segments. Thus, the

shell may be comprised of the two cutting tubes 21 (one at each end of the tool), the single central housing 24,

and the two thickened segments or body members 22. f These five members may be considered as constituting the entire shell a of the tool 20.

Slideably mounted within the housing 24 will be found the reversing sleeve 23. This sleeve is disposed'between the two bodies 22 with which it coacts.

Typical of reciprocating members which pass through the tool will be found sucker rod 13, along which the The sucker rod joints are shown as at 14, and the tool travels over these joints with all facility until it comes to a joint having a travel limit ring, such as the upper travel limit'ring 15, which is provided with projections 15a. These projections stop the movement of the tool in the direction in which it is initially'travelling, and cause the reversal of its travel direction, as will hereinafter be made plain.

A lower travel limit ring 16, having projections 16a thereon, is so placed on the sucker rod as to x and limit the lowermost extent of travel of the tool.

Travel limit rings 15 and 16 are allowed to rotate freely and at will on the sucker rod at selected rod joints. To

allow such rotation, and at the same time to provide a bearing on which the joint may be made up, in firm frictional contact, the Vfixed bearing 17 is provided. The shoulders on the male and female ends of the threaded joint and of the rods (when made up into the joint) come into compressive contact with the bearing 17, holding it Vfirmly, but they do not compress or in any way frictionally retard the free movement of the ring 15, which may be rotated about the bearing. Y

Within the center housing 24, and preferably` near the middle thereof, is provided a circular rail 25, arranged to extend as a lateral projection from the inside wall of the housing. This rail may be made'of one piece with the housing or it may be made separately Aand aixed thereto. The rotatable ring assembly 65 is made to ride uponk this rail. f Y

Engaging units 8 0 are hingedly mounted on and-carrie by the rotatable ring 65. These engagers are .preferably provided with relatively sharp edges so that they may very firmly grip and engage the pump rod or cable while it is making a stroke in one direction, and they will be carried along by it. However, they so engage the rod or cable that they are instantly released therefrom when it makes a stroke in the other direction. While the engagers are in gripping contact with the rod the entire tool 20 is caused to move the distance of one stroke. During this movement the cutting Yedge 40 on the forward end of the shell 20a Vof the tool scrapes and removes solids and deposits 12 from the pipe or tubing 11.

Windows'Z may be arranged through the wall of housing 24. They are preferably made plural in number, and should be spaced equidistantly around the perimeter of the housing. These windows have the dual function of providing liuid by-pass openings and also allowing access to the internal parts of the rotatable engaging assembly arranged within the housing.

Cooperating threads 27 may be arranged on the overlapping ends of the housing 24 and the body 22, so that these two members may be removably attached together. Obviously other means for attaching these two members may be provided, such as machine screws, J slots, or any other suitable connection.

wall of tube 21 so as to carry friction guides 30, whichV guides will engage the inner face of the conduit being cleaned and hold the Ymomentarily inactive tool 20 in place in the conduit. These slots may be provided in such numbers as may be found most suitable. However, it is recommended that at least three be used. Six equally spaced slots are shown in the typical tool revealed in the drawings. See Figs. I, II and VI.

Friction guides 30, arranged to operate in slots 29, are spring-urged outwardly so as to effect frictional contact with the inner face of the tubing 11. However, they may be forced inwardly by being placed in a tight fitting conduit (to be cleaned) until they are substantially flush with the outer face of the shell of the tool.

Knurling 31 may be provided on the outermost and exposed faces of guides 30. Serrations or roughened sur- Yfaces on'the outermost faces of the guides facilitate the frictional attachment of the tool to the conduit during its momentary pauses while travelling the sucker rods'or cable. This allows the tool to be held against and suspended by the conduit 11 for the brief time required in the making of one stroke of the rod or cable.

A beveled surface 32 should be arranged on the Yuppermost and exposed outward end and edge of each guide 3l).V A beveled surface 33 should be arranged on the lowermost and exposed outward edge and end of these guides. Such beveledsurfaces will guide the tool in its travel, and allow it to pass by couplings on the tubing or collars on the conduit being cleaned. Such beveled surfaces will prevent the tool from hanging up `on the ends of the pipe where they are slightly separated in these couplings or collars. Y

Inclined innermost faces 35 are provided on the guides 3i), which extend within the shell. These faces constitute trueV inner guides, gently urging rod joints and rods toward the longitudinal axis of the tool as it moves along, and therefore toward the center of tubing 11.

Holes 36 are arranged laterally through the guides 30; and they are so. disposed as to provide a series of such holes on a common level or in a common plane to receiv spring 37, arcuately carried inside the shell.

A pair of springs V3'7 are carried by the entire collec-l tion of guides 3i), in any given cutting tube 21; and they are so constructed, arranged and operated as to urge such guides outwardly, and at the Sametime limit their outward movement.

face of tube 21. Y Y

Deformed ends 3S may be made on the springsi'37,

and they are provided to maintain the springs in place without danger of loss. Any deformity, cap or nut or other fixtures could be used to keep springs and guides inplace.

Ports 39 should be arranged through the walls of tubes 21. They should be made and placed in such numbers as may be most suitable to provide for the ow of uid therethrough. Well Hui-d, oil, water or other liquids will pass through these ports and wash the walls which are being cleared of well solids and other undesirable deposits and accumulations. Such washing action makes more thorough and eective the cleansing effect of the tool.

A cutting edge may be provided on the free end of the tube 21 to act as a circular knife or scraper. Edges 40 may be bevelled or sharpened, the better to remove from the inner face of the surrounding pipe the well solids and other accumulations thereon. Such edges may be so sharpened as to provide a true cutting edge, although the degree of such sharpness or bevel is optional, and should be made (if at all) in contempaltion of the particular materials being removed from the conduit. These edges may be so hardened that they will cut away pipe burs and slivers and other metallic and abrasive materials found along the path of travel of the tool.

After one complete travel of the tool 2t) through any desired length of conduit, it will be found that the inner face of such conduit is unusually smooth; and after the travel has been repeated several times it will be found fairly well polished and cleaned, and entirely free from scale and rust and other undesirable accumulations.

It is to be noted that the entire tool 20 may rotate freely about the pump rod or cable on which it is travelling, so that eventually the entire inner surface of the conduit being cleaned will be scrubbed well. The knurled outer faces 31 of the friction guides 3l) materially assist in doing a nished job of polishing, without any damage whatsoever to the conduit being cleaned.

Whenever the tool which is the subject of this invention has been employed to keep a pipe or casing or tubing or other conduit clean, then it will be found that swab cups, usually made of rubber compounds, which are operated in such conduits will have a much longer life than is ordinarily the case. There is far less abrasion and wear and deterioration in the swabs operated in a well after this tool has been used therein.

Packers and other well elements may be moved into place in a well conduit more safely and with less damage to their faces after such conduit has been cleaned with this tool.

Means 41 for effecting joinder between tubes 21 and bodies 22 may take any suitable form. However, the means shown in the drawings, Figs. Il, VII and XVII, is a friction joint or a sweated joint in which there is initially provided a very close frictional engagement. The internal diameter of the fixed end of tube 21 is made less than the outer diameter of the engaging skirt on body 22. When the joint is to be made by such means, then the end of the tube 21, which is to overlap skirt 42, is well heated and expanded and placed upon the cold skirt, so that when cooled a shrink fit may be effected. Any other means desired may be provided for holding these members together. Such alternate means may employ spot welding or seam welding, bolts, machine screws, companion threads, and other arrangements.

The upper part 44 of body 22 is made of a thickened wall, with the thickness extending inwardly, for strength and other functions, as will be made plain elsewhre herein, including the provision of an overhanging or projecting face 43, extending inwardly near the top of skirt 42.

The projecting face 43 will allow an annular space therebelow for the accommodation of transfer ring 50, stubs 51, push rods 52 and springs 53, as will be further explained hereinafter.

Bosses 45 are arranged as spaced and inwardly extending blocks or thickened sections of upper part of body 22. Several of these bosses are arranged in spaced rela- 6 tion around the inner face of the wall of body 22. They provide for the fluid passages or orifices 49, which are arranged between the bosses. Some of these bosses carry and guide the push rods 52, in vertical holes 48 arranged through the bosses. Alternate bosses also provide stops for the abutment thereagainst of the stubs 51.

An annular recess 47, providing a ledge immediately therebelow, is arranged internally of the upper end of the body 22, by making the wall at such end thinner.

The holes or guide channels 48 arranged through bosses 45 to accommodate push rods 52 are made parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tool 20.

The transfer ring 50 operates to reverse the direction of the travel of the tool, when this ring is struck by the limit rings 15 or 16, and particularly by the projections 15a or 16a on the latter rings, as the case may be. The operation of reversing the direction of the travel of the tool comes about when the tool has reached the limit of its predetermined travel range. This limit may be changed and iixed by the operator at his pleasure. He simply has to reset the stops (limit rings) 15 and 16 at the desired locations on the pump rod or cable.

When the transfer ring 50 is struck by the limit ring (i5 or 16), then the transfer ring 50 itself moves and in turn moves the push rods 52, which are carried firmly by the transfer ring in the securing holes 54. The push rods, in turn, move the slidable reversing sleeve 23, which holds one pair of the engagers out of action after they have been lifted by the rod coupling 14. One pair of engagers is thus disengaged, and the other pair is thrown into engagement with the pump rod (or cable), and the tool changes the direction of its travel.

The stubs 51, carried by ring 50, in holes 54, limit the movement of ring 50. The free ends of the stubs will come into contact with the overhang 43 on the bosses d5, which will then carry the final thrust of ring 50 and terminate the travel.

Push rods may be used in such number as may be found suitable. Preferably there are three which are equally spaced around the inner wall of body 22 and carried in holes 4S in bosses 45.

Compression or coil springs 53 cushion the movement of ring 50, and also the movement and progress of push rods 52. These springs may well be carried around push rods 52, and they are placed below overhang 43 and above transfer ring 5G, resting on the latter. These springs normally keep ring 5t) spaced the maximum distance from overhang 43.

The holes 54 provided in ring 50 in which to carry push rods 52 and stubs 51 may be made slightly smaller than the external diameter of the rods and the stubs which may be driven into such holes until they are held in frictional engagement. Obviously, other forms of attachment between the rods and the stubs on the one hand, and ring 5i) on the other, can be provided, including companion threads, keys, pins, screws and the like.

Reversing sleeve 23 may be made as a single unit, and all in one piece, if desired. Such construction could be employed if the central housing is made in two halves by dividing it vertically, as exemplified in Figs. XIV and XV. The rail may be made of two or more separate arcuate segments, to be fastened to the wall of the housing, with a unitary rotatable ring thereabout; and the sliding sleeve may be fitted within such ring before the split housing is fastened together.

However, with a unitary housing 24 and an integral rail 2S and a rotatable ring 65 divided into the two halves 66 and 67, I would employ the sliding sleeve as shown in Fig. VIH, which is made of two like members 23a and 23b. These members are held together with a connecting strap 57 which may be kept in place with screws 60 at one or both ends; but one end thereof may be welded as at 58.

The machine or cap screw 60, arranged through the free end of the connecting strap 57 in a hole therein Y 7 provided for this purpose, continues into a tapped and drilledhole 59 within the supporting side wall 61 of sleeve 23.

. From the lsupporting side wall 61 of sleeve 23 there is extended the arcuate trip fingers 56. This wall is divided at about its center part, as at 62, such numeral representing the meeting faces on the abutting ends of the members 23a Vand 23b.

Theslidingl sleeve 23 is provided with a Aband 55 at each endthereof. ThisV is known as the push band, and it is engaged by the push rods 52, which will cause sleeve 23 to slide, and thereby reverse the direction of the engagers 8l). For instance, if the lowermost push band 55 is'thrust upwardly by the lower push rods 52 (as in Fig.LII), then theruppermost push band 55 will be elevated to a position Vwhere it may thereafter be struck by upper push rods 52 in the` upper body 22, at the end of limit, of `travel of the tool when upper transfer ring engages stop 15. The engagers will be then reversed in position and the tool changes its direction and is made to return in its travel. The trip fingers 56 on the body of the reversing sleeve 2.3 slide against the lower engagers 80 and hold them yout of engagement, as shown in Fig. VII, and the upper Vengagers will be freed of the upper trip fingers and fall into engagement, being springu rged- Y The rotatable ring assembly is preferably made up of two members, a lower half 66 and an upper half 67. These are so arranged as to provide between them the rail-riding annular recess 64 ywhich vfits around the rail 25 and is rotatable thereon. Such construction provides an Vupwardly looking shelf 68 on the lower ring 66 and a downwardly looking shelf 69 on the upper ring 67. Thesev faces are polished and made to ride freely upon rail Z5. The line of joinder between these two halves of assembled ring 65 isrshown as at 7G.

4A pair of oppositely disposed lateral cuts 71 is provided through the side wall of each of the members 66 and 67.. Such cuts are on the lowermost and uppermost walls, respectively, of these ring members. gagers 80 are mounted in these cuts.

Laterallydisposed holes 72 pass segmentally through .Y the side wallsV of ring elements 66 and 67, adjacent to and on each .side of cuts 71; and these holes areV arranged to accommodate hinge pins 93 on which the engager Si) is mounted. Y Y Y Holes 73 are provided vertically through the unbroken Y and uncut walls of ring members 66 and 67, such holes being arranged parallel to the axis of such members. Companion holes are aligned in the members 66 and 67 to receive machine screws 74 by which the members 66 and 67 Vare removably secured together, so that they may operate as one unit, to wit: assembled ring 65.

` The uppermost and lowermost faces of rotatable ring 6 5 `have been cut away on their innerV wall to provide y an annular recess terminating in the shoulder 75, and

this recess and shoulder receive and accommodate the tripping fingers 56. When finger 56 rests on shoulder 75 then the immediately adjacent engagers 80 are in a position of engagement. But when these fingers are lifted from the shoulder 75 the engagers' are disengaged. See Fig. XVIII.

.Strap slots 76, to accommodate Vthe strap 57 and allow it to slide therealong, are provided vertically in theY assembled unit 65 andfon the inner face thereof. These Y slots, accommodating the straps, make an excellent guide for Vthe movement of the slideable'sleeve 23. A further guide is provided by the side wall slots 77, cut into the inner face of assembled ring unit 65, to accommodate and permit the slideable movement therealong of the supporting side Wall 61 of reversing sleevev23. Y

Slots 76 and 77, and the members slideably carried therein, work together to prevent relative rotation between thev sliding sleeve 23 and the ring assembly 65. Such construction and arrangement always keep the trip The en- 8y fingers 56 in their proper relation to the engagers 80. See Figs. XII and WHL It is to be noted that pump rods have the capacity rto develop some torque when under stress, by pull or compression, and likewise they may twist and turn somewhat due to changes in temperature. engagers 80 are firmly attached to the rod or. cable, for the time being, and moving up or down with it, then the ringassembly 65 may turn and rotate within the shell 20a especially when the'sharpened edges 4) of such shell are buried in thick deposits which are being removed from Y the conduit in the process of cleaning it, so thatY the shell is temporarily prevented from rotation.

On the other hand, there are conditions in which the engagers travel almost a straight line along the rod or cable, without any appreciable rotation 'thereabouh Under such conditions, then the preferred construction will allow the shell 20a to freely rotate about the ring 65, the rail 25 of such shell riding within the rail recess in such ringf Thus the shell 20a can rotate freely to accommodate itself to variations in the obstructions being removed by it, whether they zbe variations in the character, density, location or'obliqueness of the deposits encountered. This arrangement always permits free relative rotation between the ringassembly 65 carrying the engagers on the one hand, and the shell 20a of the tool on the other, and it prevents any undue stress, or damaging torque or dellection between the various members and elements. of the tool. v

The engaging units h are presented as a preferred form of engaging members. However, such members may take various forms. They may be made as knives, spring-urged and reversible in the direction of their engagement, such as shown in Figure XVIII. They may take the form of the semi-circular fingers indicated Vin Fig. XVI'. They may take many other forms. .Howeven their general function will remain the same. They operate in pairs. They engage, for a brief term, the side walls of the sucker rods (or cable) along which they travel, or they may engage the external side wall of a tube carried centrally of two engaging assembliesl and axially of the tool-shell.

Some further explanation of a typical engaging unit 8G may be in order. The engaging knife is shownas at 81, provided with a bevelled face S2 allowing for the creation of a relatively sharp edge. A pair of lugs 83 are provided on the backside of the knife, these lugs being spaced apart to provide a slot or space, as at 84.

A base S5 is provided as a bladeholder, carrying and supporting the adjustable blade or knife 81.

A recess 36 is arranged transversely of one side wall ofthe base 85, to receive and accommodate the spaced lugs 83.

S5 and 81; and they are held together at whatever prie-V determined spacing therebetween as may be found desirable.l This spacing is determined and fixed by the adjustment of the set screws 88; and after the spacing has been-thus fixed as desired, then the cap screw 90 is made up firmly and tight -to retain such spacing.

The capacity for adjustment between opposed blades to accommodate the passage therebetween of tubes, rods or cables of different diameters is of considerableimportance. The opposed blades in a pair of oppositelyV arranged engaging units should be so'adjusted, each with respect to its base, thatthe distance between the opposed edges of a pair of blades should beless than the diameter of the rod or tube' or cable passing therethrough. When such adjustment is maintained, then it follows that the Therefore, if theV opposed blades, engaging the rod therebetween, will not lie in a horizontal position. On the other hand they will be somewhat inclined. A slight inclination is usually sucient for the purposes desired. However, an increase in such inclination will work satisfactorily.

When the blades are in engagement and in an inclined position, then they are readily releasable from the rod between them whenever that rod reverses the direction of its stroke and moves oppositely to the direction of its initial thrust which momentarily carried the blades and the tool along with it.

Construction and adjustment which provide blades engaged at an inclined angle will also allow the blades to be easily and freely removed from engagement by the coupling 14 or stop shank 123e, and held by fingers 56 of reversing sleeve 23 (at the end of the total travel distance of the tool) in response to the push rods 52, activated by the transfer ring 50 when the latter strikes the stops or 16, as the case may be.

The engagers 80 are hingedly attached and springurged from their mounting on ring 65. This may be arranged by providing a pair of hinged butts 91 on the base .of the bladeholder 85. Laterally provided holes 92 through these butts will receive hinge pin 93; and around this pin and between the butts there is carried the torsion spring 94. One end of the spring engages shoulder 75 on ring 65, and the other end of the spring engages the blade carrier base 85, and the relation between the blade carrier and the spring is such as to cause the spring to continually urge the blade carrier and its blade to be extended toward the horizontal position, such position allowing for the engagement by the blade of a member passing between it and an opposed blade.

Unless restrained and retained by trip fingers 56, a free blade and blade holder would therefore lie in a substantially horizontal position, ready for engagement. It would assume an inclined position when a rod is inserted between it and a companion blade.

An engager 80 is forced out of operating position by the movement against such engager of rod coupling 14 or the stop shank 12352 and then held out of engagement by the trip fingers 56 which are carried on the slideable reversing sleeve 23.

The engagers may be made to allow for the accommodation of some side sway or lateral movement 0f the pump rod and/ or cable, which are notable for departures from a perfectly straight line, especially when in reciprocal motion. Such construction will allow the tool to operate without undue stress upon its parts.

This purpose is accomplished by making the engagers 80 to carry straight edged blades 82, between the opposed edges of a pair of which a rod or cable could slide laterally without the blades losing their grip thereon.

Modified yoke engagers 101 are provided with a relatively narrow hinge butt 105 and a relatively long hinge rod 107, so that these engagers may slide laterally along the hinge rod in response to lateral movement of the pump rod or cable held between the arcuate ngers of such engagers.

Certain modifications of parts of this tool are set forth in Figs. XIV, XV and XVI. Numeral 101 represents modified engaging means which include yoked or forked fingers, instead of the usual blades. The engaging edges are shown as at 102. Overlapping fingers may be employed. Upper ngers 103 may overlap lower ngers 104. The hinge butts 105 are provided with rod hole 106 to receive hinge rod 107.

Modified rotatable ring 103 is arranged to carry the fingered engagers 101. This ring is made in one piece, and it replaces split ring 65. It is substantially like ring 65 in most other respects. The unitary ring 108 may be housed by dividing the housing 114 into two like halves, 114a and 114b. The line of joinder between these two parts of the housing is shown as at 111.

Lugs 109 are arranged on the face of ring 108; and

cap screws 110 are carried by these lugs. Wire loops 112 may be carried as connectors between screws 110 and springs 1,13, the latter being a modified form of spring for urging engagers 101 into engagement.

The modified form of split center housing 114 (comparable to unitary housing 24) may be attached to bod)I 22 or body 117 through the use of machine screws 118. Screws 119 may be employed to fasten cutting tube 121 to the skirt of body 117. The windows 26, indicated in the preferred form, may be eliminated altogether.

Body 117 is substantially like body 22 except for the elimination of threads 27 and `the provision of threaded holes for carrying flush screws 118 and 119.

Modified form of sliding sleeve is employed for reversing engagers 101, and such sleeve employs special elevator bands 116 for elevating engagers 101, and preventing their engagement.

As shown in Figs. XIV and XV, sleeve 115 is provided with two oppositely disposed arcuate long walls, and these walls extend the full length of the sleeve to provide the sleeve ends which may be contacted by one or more of the push rods 52 carried by slideable reversing ring 50, the movement of which n'ng causes sleeve 115 to slide. Intermediate the ends of sleeve 115 there are the two oppositely disposed arcuate short walls of the sleeve, and such short walls contact gripping engagers 101 and force them outwardly from their normal inward inclination when the sleeve is caused to slide appropriately. See Figs. XIV, XV and XVI for details of such modified forms and structures.

A modified form of cleaning tool 120 is shown in Fig. XI; and it is substantially like the preferred form of tool 20, except that the ports 39, the slots 29 and friction guides 30 have been eliminated. Windows may be provided in the central housing if desired. The tool as a whole has been varied in its relative proportions; and its size and strength have been increased.

Tool 120 is primarily intended to clean out and keep clean Very large pipes and conduits, such as long stretches of pipe line, either below or above ground, or well casing, or other large cylindrical vessels and conduits.

Suitable cable 122, such as steel cable, may be arranged to have reciprocating motion imparted thereto, regardless of the length ofthe cable. Such cable may be placed in a long stn'ng of pipe line or in a deep well or in any other location. When in a well, the cable may be made to reciprocate by the use of a lever mechanism, comparable to a pump jack.

Where the conduit to be cleaned out is horizontal, then reciprocation may be imparted to the cable therein by the use of a pair of synchronized wheels, one at each end of the conduit, with the cable attached to the rim of each wheel. When these wheels are slowly turned, the cable will move back and forth in the conduit.

If desired, one end of the cable may be attached to a lug on the periphery of a slowly moving wheel, and the other end of the cable may be passed over a pulley and heavily weighted; or it may be attached to a stout spring. Weight 124, suicient to keep the cable taut may be used; and the cable may be attached to such weight by any cable clamp, such as that indicated at 125.

The reciprocating cable should be provided with stop and trip means 123, one being employed at each end of the travel distance and fixed on the cable. The operation and use of such stops is comparable to stops 15 and 16 on the preferred form of tool first herein presented.

The cable may be reciprocated by any kind of suitable mechanism. Any form of my tool, as presented herein, will travel the full length of a reciprocating cable, climb it, descend it or follow it at any angle, however disposed.

The operation of my invention should be apparent from the foregoing. However, it may be generally stated as follows:

The tool is placed around a pump rod or cable and inserted within the conduit to be cleaned. Assuming il Vunderstood that the rod or cable is operating in reciprocable movement, as in Vthe pumping of a well or in like movement. l t

TheV free ends or edges of the upper and spaced pair of engagers will grip the face of the rod or cable passing therebetween. The entire cleaning tool is thereupon car-V ried downwardly the distance of one down stroke. The

forward edge of the tool, shown as at 40, will scrapeV away from the conduit wall the undesirable accumulations 12. f

At the end of the down stroke, the rod or cable will start upwardly to make theVK return stroke, during the ventire length of which the rod or cable will pass Vfreely between the upper inclined engagers, without moving the tool.

rThe friction guides 30, pressingV outwardly from the shellof the tool, -being spring-urged, will momentarily maintain the tool in a fixed position within the conduit; andfrom'such position it will be forced downward again upon, the making of the next down stroke Y This process' continues by stages, each movement in the Astage representing substantiallyy the legth of aV downstroke, and each period of rest for the tool being substantially the time required for the upstroke.

During the progress ofthe tool through the conduit, the tool shell may rotate about rather freely, relative rotation being provided between the shell and the ring which carries the engagers.

Also, the rod or cable may slide laterally between the 'opposed edges 82 of the knife of the engagers S6; or the rod or cable may move laterally, carrying the engagers 161 along hinge rod 107, if the modified and slideable form of engagers is employed.

During the cleaning operation, well iiuids pass through the tool, which is a hollow body provided with a continuous passageway throughout its length; and some of such iiuid will pass in and out of the windows 26 (if they are provided) or in and out of the ports 39 (if they are provided), Washing away the cuttings and scrapings and all materials loosened by the tool in its progress.

Meanwhile the friction guides 39, being spring-urged outwardly, will also scrape andV polish the inner face of the conduit being cleaned. Where the edges 40 ofthe open ends of the cutting tubes are hardened and sharpened for the purpose, burs, thread ribbons, slivers and other undesirable metallic obstructions found in the path of the tool will be cleanlyV and smoothly cut away, leaving a very clean wall, which will alsoV be freed of rust and scale.

The desired length of travel of the tool will have been previously fixed by locating on the pump rod the stop rings 1:3 and 16, or on the cable the stop bodies 123, one at each end of the determined travel length. When the tool has reached the end of its downward travel it willA strike stop body 16, and the projections 16a thereon will YVcome intoV contact with the transfer ring 59 and lift this ring up. The push rods 51, carried Vby the transfer ring,

sleeve, will move up and restrain the upper engagers and 'prevent their engagement, and the lower trip members will release the pair of engagers theretofore held-outof engagement thereby (and in substantially parallel rela.n tion).

The lower engagers, being spring-urged (as are the vupper engager-Salso) will then fall into inclined Contact vwith the pump rod.

With thisv reversal of the angles of inclination` of the engagers, in both top'and bottom pairs, Vthe direction of the travel of the tool is reversed. lt is now ready to climb back up the pump rod, or cable, as the case may be.

' With the first upward stroke or" the rod, the lowerengagers grip Vthewalls of the rod and are liftedwith it carrying Vthe tool. the rod, it passes freely between the opposed edges of the lower engagers, and the tool is held meanwhile against the wall of the conduit being cleaned, such momentary holding being effected by theV friction guides.

In the progress of the tool upwardly, until the upper- Vmost travel limit has been attained, the tool will repeat the patterns and stages of operation theretoforeperformed by it inV its downward passage.

Thus the conduit cleaner travels up and down within a well pipe, or back and forth within any inclined or horizontalrstring of pipe, performing operations which include those of cleaning and then those of maintaining the conduit clean and free and preventing undesirable accumulations and obstructions. The continual use of the tool, arranged to travel any desired length in any conduit, will keep and maintain the interior walls thereof perfectly clean, and reduce to a minimum the friction and abrasion on all tools, rods, tubes, swabs, packers, and the like, which are operated, placed or maintained in the Vconduit for Vany purpose. Once my tool is installed in any conduit, it operates free of labor costs Vand free of power costs, no additionalY power being required and no labor being necessary. The cleaning operation simply becomes a costless incident to the pumping or swabbing of a well or tothe reciprocable operation of any tube, rod or cable within any elongated hollow vessel.

The shell of the tool may be so shaped as to t into any elongated hollow vessel to be cleaned` It may be so fashioned that a cross-section thereof would be round,`

elliptical, square or rectanguiar, depending on the shape of such vessel. The sleeve member could also be made of any desired shape. It should be so moveable as to Vallow it to function as a releasable keeper for restraining the engagers, when desired. ln whatever shape it is made the tool functions as atraveling cleaner moving through the vessel by repeated and successiversteps.

I claim:

l. In a conduit cleaner tool, an elongated shell; a pair of opposed gripping engagers hingedly carried by the shell and normally extending inwardly thereof, said engagers being normally spring urged inwardly into gripping enf gagement with an elongated member when such member is extended through thel shell, and said engagers being arranged to be carried by the elongated member when such member is moved longitudinally in one direction'in a conduit and to slide over the elongated member when such member is moved in the opposite direction in a conduit; a slideable sleeve mounted withinV the shell and Y adapted to move against the engagers and hold them from their normal inclination; a travel limit stop carried on an elongated member passing through the tool, the engagers being adapted Vto engage such member when they are in their Vnormal position, and the sleeve being engageable by the stop and adapted to slide in response to the movement of the tool against such stop;

2.. ln a conduit cleaner, an eiongated shell;'a rotatable Y ring carried within the shell; a pair of opposed gripping engagers mounted on the ring the gripping engagersbeing hinged tothe ring and being normally spring-urged inwardly into gripping engagement with an elongatedmemberfwhen such member is extended through the shellrso Y as to move with elongated member ina conduit in one direction and to slide over theelongated member when On the succeeding down stroke ofV 3.3 member being provided with retainer parts whereby the engagers may be held in non-engaging position until the said member is moved; and a plurality of friction guides extending laterally from the side wall of the shell.

3. In a conduit cleaner, a tubular shell, including a pair of open ended cutting tubes, a central housing and a pair of orifice bodies, one such body being so arranged on each end of the housing as to conununicate with the immediately adjacent cutting tube; a ring carried by and arranged to rotate within the housing; a pair of opposed gripping engagers mounted on each end of the ring said engagers being hinged to the ring and being normally spring-urged inwardly into gripping engagement with an elongated member when the elongated member is extended through the shell so as to move with the elongated member in a conduit in one direction and being adapted to slide over the elongated member when such member is moved in the opposite direction in a conduit; a slideable sleeve carried in the shell between the bodies; a pair of transfer rings slidably carried in the shell, one such ring being adjacent to that end of each body which is farthest from the housing; a plurality of push rods so carried by each transfer ring as to be engageable with the sleeve; and the sleeve being provided with trip means alternately engageable with each pair of engagers whereby each pair of engagers may be successively held out of engaging position whenever the other pair of engagers is in a position of engagement; and stop means carried by the elongated member alternately engageable with the transfer rings to move the sleeve to release for operation one pair of gripping engagers and to lock the other pair of gripping engagers in inoperative position.

4. In a cleaning device, an elongated hollow body, a pair of hinged and opposed gripping engagers mounted therein in spaced relation; spring means normally urging each engager toward the other and into grippinv engagement with an elongated member when the elongated member is extended through the body so as to move with the elongated member when such member is moved in one direction in a conduit and being adapted to slide over the elongated member when such member is moved in the opposite direction in a conduit; a slidable keeper so carried within the body as to releasably hold the engagers apart; and moveable means carried within the body engageable with the keeper, whereby the keeper may be released from contact with the engagers; said moveable means being arranged to engage a stop member carried by the elongated member to thereby move the moveable means within the body.

5. In a cleaning device, an elongated hollow body; two pairs of opposed gripping engagers, each such pair being hingedly mounted in spaced relation within the body; resilient means co-acting with each engager to urge it toward its opposed engager to bring the engagers into gripping engagement with an elongated member when the elongated member is extended through the body so as to move with the elongated member when such member is moved in one direction in a conduit and to slide over the elongated member when such member is moved in the opposite direction in a conduit; a sliding keeper carried within the body normally holding one pair of engagers apart without restraining the other pair; and a moveable member carried in the body associated with each pair of engagers and with the keeper each moveable member being moveable within the body by contact with separated stop members carried on the elongated member, whereby the keeper may be released from contact with one pair of engagers and caused to restrain the other pair.

6. In a cleaning device, an elongated hollow body; a pair of opposed gripping engagers hingedly carried in spaced relation within the body; springs urging the engagers away from the body wall and into gripping engagement with an elongated member extending through the body so as to move with the elongated member when such member is moved in one direction in a conduit and to slide over the elongated member when such member is moved in the opposite direction in a conduit; a keeper slideably mounted within the body and arranged to releasably hold the engagers from moving in response to the springs; a transfer member slideably mounted within the body and arranged to release the keeper from the engagers upon sliding movement of the transfer member by contact with a stop member carried on the elongated member; a plurality of friction elements carried by the Wall of the body; and springs urging the elements outwardly of the body.

7. As an article of manufacture, an elongated shell; an arcuate rail carried by the shell and extending laterally therein; a member rotatably mounted on said rail; a pair of gripping engagers hingedly attached to said member in opposed spaced relation; and spring means normally urging said engagers toward one another into gripping engagement with an elongated member when the elongated member is extended through the shell so as to move with the elongated member when moved in one direction in a conduit and to slide over the elongated member when such member is moved in the opposite direction in a conduit.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 417,965 Smith Dec. 24, 1889 1,293,777 Hogue Feb. 11, 1919 2,001,270 Slaugenhop May 14, 1935 2,058,331 Lang ct. 20, 1936 2,475,160 Stamos July 5, 1949 

